Hello all! I have been lurking around the forum for several months now and have learned so much from all of you and am finally considering making the plunge after ruling out the GTR and Maserati GT.

I am looking to buy a 2009 Vantage, I really like the car but have never strayed past the reliable realm of Lexus and Mercedes. I have never had any expensive maintenance issues with any car so far, and Im worried about the AM due to fear of the unknown and the high cost of repairs

Is the 2009 Vantage a reliable car? can it be used as a daily driver? I would like to put 12-15k miles a year on it. No interest in resale value

The car im looking at is currently out of warranty, and the dealer wants to charge almost 6k for the 2yr. Is it worth shopping around with other dealers for the warranty

Any users in Houston area have input on getting service done at independent shops? I went to visit the dealership several months back and almost convinced myself to never get an AM due to those buffoons there. So condescending!! They are even short and rude via email!

Thanks again for the knowledge you guys have already given me

 

Had my 2007 V8V for almost 12 months, no major problems but not very many miles covered. I'm far more confident about the reliability of this car than my last two, a SL500 and a 996. Get one with a good warranty to give you extra peace of mind.

 

I am in Houston and had not had a god experience with the local AM dealership. They did recently change out one of their service advisors and the new guy is much better. Although he is a little young and "wet behind the ears", at least he was helpful and respectful.

I've had my V8V for over a year and over 6,000 miles. No issues, except for a leaking oil filter and bad thermostat, the latter is quite common and an easy fix. I did not get the extended warranty, too expensive in my opinion.

Below is a list that another 6peed user sent me for independent shops in Houston. I have not used any of them, so I cannot comment on their service ... but at least there are some options:

"1. Katy Coach Works in the AM certified body & frame repair facility in Houston. They also do mechanical/electrical service. They've done some work for me & I was pleased. The guy to talk to is Jay Myers. They are located at 1180 Blalock ( about 1/4 mile north of the Katy Fwy.). The phone number is 713-465-6225

2. eurocar-werk is a good independent shop & have been around a long time. I have not used them yet but have friends that have & they say they do good work at reasonable prices. they are located at 5103 Gulfton @ S Rice Houston TX 77081 . 713-661-6428

3. I have heard that Driver's Source on Memorial just west of Dairy Ashford is a good shop. There contact info is 14750 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079
(281) 497-1000

4. The last place that I know of is Lucas Auto Care which advertises that they specialize in AM service. Their contact info is 12600 Grant Rd.
Cypress, TX 77429; Tel: 281-379-5800

5. Motorwerks in Houston"

Good luck!

 

If you thought Mercedes is a reliable car, then you will find AM Vantage VERY reliable.

 

Kamran that is good to know. Ive always taken good care of my cars and they in turn have treated me well. Im very glad to hear you say that about the AM. It echoes what ive been hearing, that the problems are maily from people being rough with them and driving them too hard.

 

Thanks for the info WG,
IS yours an 07 or 08? ive heard that the oil leak and thhermostat issues happens occasionally with those. Did yours have a factory warranty when you got it? So im assuming you havent completed your yearly service yet, and where are you going to do that?

Since you went through the buying process recently any advice on what to look for and what to watch out for?

Glad to hear there is hope at the houston dealership

 

Mine is an '07 and had the major oil repair done before I purchased it. I bought the car with no warranty, factory of extended.

I did take it in last February for the yearly service at AM Houston, it wasn't too bad ... $1500 or so. I haven't decided where to take it this year. I guess for re-sale it's nice to have the dealer stamp for each service.

I don't think you can go wrong getting an '09, just make sure you get a good PPI. I think you will be pleasently surprised with the reliability.

 

owned my 07 roughly 9 months or so now and its only gotten better the more i drive it. meaning the small finicky error message based issues are happening less and less frequently with the higher frequency of my driving.
alot of these were bought new and sat for a few years with little to no real driving, and i cant imagine that being good. i get the impression these cars are really meant for semi frequent use to stay healthy.

 

Thanks WG, that helps! Im torn between getting the warranty or not, but its good to know that either way im in good shape. Also good to know that the AM service in town is lower in the cost spectrum. I might just flip a coin on the warranty lol

 

Brabham glad to hear that, thats what I was thinking, that the more often i drive the car, the better it will be. The Brits on the forum seem to use these cars more as a DD than us Americans. Thanks for the input

 

I bought my V8V from the Dallas dealer and then my V12V. They and the Austin dealer are super.

 

Thanks guys for all the advice. I ended up taking the plunge and bought an 09 V8V. Its the exact combo i was looking for and I plan on taking delivery in late Jan or early Feb. I want to thank everyone for their advice and input. Cant wait to take delivery and post pics